Response From our Members- I

All Parish Members

Owing to the Kalpana of the Marthoma Metropolitan  to dissolve the Kuwait Marthoma Parish,  almost 99% of the members of the Parish are facing a situation of uncertainty.

Still a nominal number of Parish members are supporting the said Kalpana  as they have been lured with false promises by some external forces who played actively to get the Parish dissolved with the concurrence of Central Church Authorities for their own benefits.

A few words to our brothers and sisters of the Parish  :-

  1. History is our teacher, which guide us to take a right path in the future life of each. It is not simply to read   but to learn from it.

            In the Medieval Indian History. Rajputs fought each other for their own domain.  To defeat their own blood brothers, they sought the help of Afghans.  This has ended up in the dominion of Mughals and Afghan Emperors.  The host became the subjects of these guests and finally lost their identity altogether.  The same thing happened in the case of English too.  Local kings took the help of them to defeat their local counterparts.  They forgot to co-exist.  Finally, everybody became slaves of these foreigners.  

Some erstwhile Parish members, for their own gain, have hatched the plot in Kuwait to dissolve our Parish. The Central Authority of the Church is dancing according to their will.  They are trying to use our own members to revolt against us.  But fortunately, those yielded to this conspiracy is very minimal and hence will not affect our unity. But it can cause its difficulty. Divide and rule is the strategy of the imperialistic powers around the world all the time.  The history is repeating in our case too. An earnest request to all who co-operate with the dissolution to learn from the history.  The benefit they gain now is short living for which they will regret later. We were an united community praying together.  We are now being forced to split into fragments erasing our identity altogether.

    2.     Every parish of Marthoma Church, either in our own country or outside, is the outcome of the toil of each of its members either financially/manually or both irrespective of their status. A parish is the culmination of the labor of its members. Despite, this, all parish members dedicate the parish to the authorities of the Church as token of their allegiance to the Head of the Church. If there is any major decision, which affects the existence of the Parish, the Authorities should take concrete consent of the members before doing so. If any deviation is happening, then it is a breach of the right of the owners- the parish members.. In the case of Kuwait Marthoma Parish, The Leadership have taken an unilateral decision without the consent of the concerned.  

            There is a reference of a previous Kalpana/Circular in the current Kalpana that the matter was intimated to all Church members, which is not true.  But for argument’s sake, if by chance, the said document is intentionally hidden from the common members, then there should have been a mention of this matter by the Diocesan Bishop, who was in Kuwait during November  2010.  He has never mentioned of an impending dissolution of the Parish, when he inaugurated the RAFFLE COUPON of PARISH FESTIVAL which was due in February 2011, and KUWAIT MARTHOMA PARISH DOOR STICKERS, which is permanent identity of  each members. Was the Bishop not honest enough in his action?  Why the Bishop did not mention about the imminent dissolution of the Parish at the time of the inauguration?.  At that time, he should have  intimated  to all the common church members (almost all were present) , that The Parish is going to  be dissolved effective 1st January 2011, and there is no meaning in the inauguration. Does it mean, the Bishop himself wanted to hide it from the common man?. If he was not convinced of his action, he should not have done it.  If he inaugurated these two events, without questioning his conscience while fully aware of future action, it is a wrong step, which is not expected from a Religious Leader of his stature.  Was he misinforming all those who were present there??. Or the decision of dissolution was hidden from too???   Then who is ruling us???? 
           
            When, an appeal was submitted by around 2000 members, requesting of a re-thinking of the issue, why the Metropolitan is not willing to consider it? Whereas he was trying to brush aside the request, commenting that the majority request is only a fake one. Then why he is not willing to make a referendum to decide whether the claim of  the  petitioners are right or not by sending an emissary to the Parish? That step will be more democratic than autocratic. Or is he a victim of common man’s ego??

  1. Our friends MAK (seems pro-dissolution groups, though claims to be independent) is very much concerned about the lack of understanding of THE COMMON MEMBERS and hence trying to explain the situation through their communications  My dear friends, all our members are quite sensible enough to understand a simple matter like the issue.  It is not a rocket technology which may be difficult to understand.  They are all intelligent enough as you are.  So your such concern is irrelevant.

4.   MAK is informing that the fund is sensibly and reasonably divided among the new Churches.  We are not talking about the funds.  We are talking about the identity of the Parish.  It is the identity of each of the members.  Some with vested interest may be looking of the economic aspect of the issue.  We are talking about the unity in communion with God Almighty.  For us, Worship in Christ as an unified community  is more important.

5.   MAK also is concerned about the divinity of the Kalpana of the Metropolitan.  Please understand that, the Kalpana is not DIVINE   as the Ten Commandments of Mosses. It is a circular of  the Church Head to his parishioners.  The Metropolitan and the Priests are democratically selected from the common Clergy and people respectively.  Hence they are bound to make human errors which should be rectified if required.  Always, there should be a room for reasoning and discussion in a mature society.

6.   The tendency of human being is to ascribe divinity to self, in a Dictatorial  environment, where power is absolute.  The same man in the face of uncertainty tends to submit fully to the Divinity, where he is helpless.  Alexander the Great, The Roman Emperors, all believed themselves to be divine.  They forgot to reason with their subjects and resulted in their great fall.  The moment, the leader refuse to hear and to reason with the subjects, there starts the disintegration of the society and bond.   We are afraid, whether we are also undergoing such a situation in our Church and belief.  Authorities are refusing to reason with us.

  1. The Latest “Show Cause Notices” served to our representatives, who raised their objection to the Kalpana, on our behalf, is an example of the imperial attitude of our Church leaders. In the said notice, there is a torn of INTIMIDATION which is an offense as per the Indian Penal Code.  Concerned Parish Representatives have been warned of punitive measures which may subject them to actions through Kuwait Government Authorities in addition to the threat of excommunication.  Our basic stand is that, we agree to the creation of new churches while the existing parish is maintained. But the Authorities are adamant in dissolving the Parish, where a disagreement occurred.

  1. The Show Cause Notice and the Kalpana is a violation of Human Rights/ Personal Rights- guaranteed  by the Constitution of the Republic of India. Every citizen has the right to choose his/her religion, place of worship, expression of opinion, etc.,. Here we are being deprived of our right of expression by refusing to hear our grievances and settle the issue through a democratic process. We are being banned from using NECK, where the Kuwait Marthoma Parish was operational since last 47 years, giving way to newly IMPOSED Parishes in its place.  Here is a clear denial of our right to worship.  

  1. Our children are denied of their Sunday School.  With the dissolution of Kuwait Marthoma Parish, what will be the status of Certificates/records related to birth, marriage, membership and as such, which are very crucial for their future.  Who will issue a certificate for a non-existent Parish?  Even if issued what will be the legal standing for it? Who is  the legitimate Authority to issue it ??


Our only demand is NOT TO DISSOLVE OUR PARISH. Let the Authorities retain our Parish with the name KUWAIT MARTHOMA PARISH.  Whoever aspiring separate parishes for more pastoral care can have their own parish with a name suitable for them. We shall recognize them.  Let them recognize us too.  Here the matter is amicably settled.  There is no tussle with the clergy and the members of parish.  Let us join our hands in the love of Jesus Christ. The Bishops and Clergy should initiate their wisdom to keep the people together.  There is no church without its members.

We have to seriously think of these issues. All Parish members should stand together at this time of difficulty. It is not the time to fight each other.   I am writing this note as a common member of the Parish, who never held any position in the Parish since last 34 years of membership.  I am trying to express the views of every common parish members like me  who are disappointed with the Church and its leadership. We were very proud of  being its members and never wanted to be involved in its politics.  

Yours truly
For and On Behalf of Like minded Parish members


Thomas Jacob                                                                          Kuwait
                                                                                          January 9, 2011 

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